Predicting Man City at Euro 2024 - Doku brilliant, De Bruyne pressure, Foden stars

Manchester City have more players representing their countries at Euro 2024 than any other club, further cementing their influence as one of the best in Europe.

With four players for Portugal, three for England, two for Belgium and Croatia, as well as representatives for Spain, Netherlands and Switzerland, City have a good chance of seeing at least one of their players go the distance in Germany.

That may disrupt their pre-season plans, but the tournament can prove to be useful in getting much-needed minutes into their players or testing them in new positions. Here, the Manchester Evening News predict which players will impress and who may struggle in the Euros ahead of the 2024/25 season.

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Starting with England, who have three City players in the squad, and all three are set to play key roles in any Three Lions success. John Stones is the most senior centre-back and the defence looks incredibly shaky without him. He has suffered from injury and illness scares in the build-up to the tournament, after struggling to get in the City team towards the end of the season.

Stay fit, and Stones can use the Euros to get some rhythm back into his game ahead of the new season back at City. And if Stones plays well, it will boost England's chances of going deep in the tournament.

Similarly, Kyle Walker looks set to be first-choice right-back as Kieran Trippier covers on the left and Trent Alexander-Arnold plays in midfield. This could be his last tournament, and he'll be keen to lead his nation to a first title since 1966. In attack, Phil Foden will be on the wing, drifting inside as he does for City alongside Jude Bellingham.

That link-up is an exciting prospect, and Foden could be the difference between winning the Euros and another frustrating exit after his electric season for City. On form, he should be one of the standout players of the tournament.

Similarly, Rodri will be at the centre of Spain's hopes, and should reinforce his position as the best holding midfielder on the continent. Rodri will face City teammates Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic in Group B, in a 'Group of Death' also containing Italy. That could see the Croatian pair experience an early exit as third-favourites in the group, although they could get a back door to the last-16 if they can record a win over Albania and finish as one of the best third-placed finishers.

Gvardiol's progress will be one to watch, having looked good at left-back for City in his debut campaign but more likely to feature at centre-back for his country. City can track his progress in the middle after a year working under Pep Guardiola on the big stage against elite opposition.

The Portugal squad is being tipped for glory, and Bernardo Silva will surely be at the heart of that. Just like he does for City, if he is on song then his teammates will be too. Ruben Dias will be pivotal at the back, and could be one of the defenders of the tournament, while Joao Cancelo will be looking to put himself in the shop window at full-back. Matheus Nunes got a late call-up to the squad and will hope for some action to kick-start his City career.

Manu Akanji and Nathan Ake are set for important roles for their countries and will be pivotal to how far Switzerland and the Netherlands go, as will Kevin De Bruyne for Belgium.

This could be the last time De Bruyne represents his country at a major tournament, and certainly the last time their 'Golden Generation' are all together - some having retired already. The pressure will be on De Bruyne to lead his nation to a trophy, following disappointing defeats in 2022, 2021 and 2018. With speculation over his future fuelled by De Bruyne's admission he could be tempted by a move to Saudi Arabia, De Bruyne will be playing with the weight of his country and a potential career move after the end of the tournament.

By contrast, the pressure is firmly off compatriot Jeremy Doku, who ended the season brilliantly for City and can take that form into the Euros. If he builds on his end-of-season performances, he could be the breakout star of the tournament - with a presentable group opening up a path to the knockout stages (although a quarter-final with France or Portugal could await).